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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26239309">Blankets and Promises</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaeminim/pseuds/jaeminim'>jaeminim</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, M/M, in the pov of a storybook narrator, mark and jaemin as children</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:21:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,107</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26239309</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaeminim/pseuds/jaeminim</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There’s a certain stillness to the world as the sun goes down each night. The dark and dull illumination, followed by the feeling that one is never truly alone in the night, plagued and haunted by those unseeable by the mundane eye. Sometimes, it is as if they have made a mistake, that we can see them in the very corners of our visions in our dreams, the vignette around the picture perfect images we conjure up, and sometimes the dark creatures chasing after you in a fright. Nightmares and dreams, for all we know, could be an out of body experience into universes or even spiritual worlds that run parallel to ours, but we may never know. For the sake of the story, let us assume that dreams are what they scientifically are: a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep, and nightmares, their fear inducing state.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mark Lee/Na Jaemin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Blankets and Promises</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i actually wrote this for my birthday, mainly to get me out of a creative block but honestly i might actually try writing like this again bc it was really fun !!</p>
<p>also want everyone to know that i wrote this using comic sans in 14pt w/ a light orange background so im Attached attached to the childhood vibes</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There’s a certain stillness to the world as the sun goes down each night. The dark and dull illumination, followed by the feeling that one is never truly alone in the night, plagued and haunted by those unseeable by the mundane eye. Sometimes, it is as if they have made a mistake, that we can see them in the very corners of our visions in our dreams, the vignette around the picture perfect images we conjure up, and sometimes the dark creatures chasing after you in a fright. Nightmares and dreams, for all we know, could be an out of body experience into universes or even spiritual worlds that run parallel to ours, but we may never know. For the sake of the story, let us assume that dreams are what they scientifically are: a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep, and nightmares, their fear inducing state.<br/><br/></p>
<p>Our story begins in the late hours as two young boys push and poke at each other, silently hissing in dull pain and attempting to hide the constant giggling at a ticklish sensation. The older of the two, a certain Mark Lee, is at the ripe old age of ten, the infamous first year of the double digits. It was something that he took pride in, for you see, his friend, the other occupant of the room, Na Jaemin, was only nine. It was not a school night -- as it never happens to be, with all the duties to follow in the morning, to rise, clean and dress up, and eat before finally making one’s way to school for what is marketed as a “good education”, allowing the boys some flexibility with their bed time, though all electronics had been confiscated.<br/><br/></p>
<p>“Shhh! We can’t be too loud!” Mark scolds. He has always been the more responsible one of the duo.<br/><br/></p>
<p>“You’re louder than me! And more Dramatic!” The huff of indignance that followed could be attributed to either child. Jaemin, despite being younger than Mark, was more of a stickler to the truth, oftentimes his bluntness being perceived as a stubborn, mouthy child. What he said was what he thought, and this was usually the root of all but many arguments between them. Not that there are many instances of bickering among the two; past the squabbling over whose turn it was to play with one special red car that both boys held dear to their hearts.<br/><br/></p>
<p>The story of the red car is quite a simple one, neither child knew who, between the two of them, the car belonged to. It had one day simply appeared in the too-neat-and-tidy-and-white living room of Jaemin’s house, and both boys had taken turns taking the toy back home with them. Perhaps the most intriguing thing to note would be that while they argued about whose turn it was, not once had they argued over who held ownership of the car. That is the wonder that is the set of principles a child holds. Maybe they knew that it didn't matter who took the toy home because no one really <em> owned </em>it, or maybe it was the fact that they went to each other’s houses regularly enough and hence swapping ownership that made both children impervious to the situation.<br/><br/></p>
<p>“Am not! Well, maybe if you just <em> slept </em> we wouldn’t be making noise!” tensions were on the rise as Mark all but hissed. But Jaemin surprisingly did not comment, instead, he curled up into himself at Mark’s words, mumbling out what could be assumed as a spat out apology.<br/><br/></p>
<p>Now for all that is worth mentioning, as much as Mark cared for doing the <em> proper </em>thing -- which in that case was to scold his younger friend for causing them both to be awake past their bedtimes, he was not the best at choosing his words, as most ten year olds aren’t. They choose to be blunt and expressive; coupled with the passing of bedtime and annoyance of being tickled and jabbed, Mark had been a bit too harsh on Jaemin. But thankfully, ten year olds have the uncanny ability to drop all grievances at the sight of a hurt friend.<br/><br/></p>
<p>And so, Mark scooches over to Jaemin, settling beside his best friend with his knees pulled up to his chest, arms holding his legs as he places his chin on his knees, intently staring at the lumpy ball that was Jaemin.<br/><br/></p>
<p>It took a while in the heavy silence for Jaemin to finally lift his head up from the uncomfortable position it was tucked into, and once he had, Mark immediately scrambled to sit criss-crossed, opening his arms for his best friend to place himself in between, an invitation accepted just as quickly.<br/><br/></p>
<p>A chime of “I’m sorry!” and “It’s okay!”, and the boys had made up, for that is how children are.<br/><br/></p>
<p>The hug had soon gotten uncomfortable, leaving the children to finally settle into bed properly, tangling their legs together, with Jaemin resting his head on Mark’s chest. It was a familiar feeling, as every weekend began with a sleepover and consequently falling asleep in each other’s arms. However, as children quite usually are, silence does not carry well when they are awake, and sometimes, they may ask questions that aren’t all that proper.<br/><br/></p>
<p>“Why did you curl up?”<br/><br/></p>
<p>And sometimes, they might give answers that are a bit too straight forward.<br/><br/></p>
<p>“The mean man in my dreams that chases me with a gun says that you hate me.”<br/><br/></p>
<p>Now, it was a peculiar statement about an even more peculiar dream for what did a child have to endure for being disliked to be a fear exhibited in a nightmare? Then again, perhaps it is just how children are, that is for them to know and us grown-ups to guess.<br/><br/></p>
<p>Grown-ups aren’t always the best at things, neither are children, but they do not allow potential failure from stopping them. And as it is how learning happens, children pick up on things they see from their parents growing up. So, all things considered, to a child, kissing one’s forehead and pulling them closer in a hug would be just the thing to cheer them up. <br/><br/></p>
<p>And that is what Mark does. He kisses Jaemin’s forehead and pulls him closer, whispering “It’s okay, the monsters can’t hurt you when I’m with you, I’ll protect you."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Children say a lot of things and rarely do they not mean them. However, unbeknownst to either child, more oaths similar to this particular one would be taken by them as the years went on.</p>
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